The First Function of Mythology

Consciousness
Has other notions
Of how things ought to be
What virtue is
And so on
And so on
One
Of the problems
That
Man has to face
Is reconciling himself to the foundations of his own existence
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
That reconciliation
Of consciousness
With the mystery of being
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
Not
Criticizing it
Shakespeare
In his definition of art in Hamlet
Where he says;
«Art»
«Holds the mirror up to nature»
Is a perfect
Definition
I would say
Of the first
Function
Of mythology
When you hold the mirror
Up to your self
Your consciousness becomes aware
Of
Its
Support
What it is
What it is
That it is supporting it
You may be shocked
At what you see
You may be greatly pleased
But one way or another
You become aware
Of yourself
Your consciousness becomes aware of that darkness
That being
Which came into being
Out of darkness, and which is its own support
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
That reconciliation
Of consciousness
With the mystery of being
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
And the realization
Of their mystery
As something that consciousness
Is not going to be able to criticize
Not even going to be able to elucidate
Not even going to be able to name
It is something
Beyond naming
Beyond all definitions
That is the first point
And when that is lost
One loses
This sense of
Awe
Which Goethe calls, «The best thing in man.»
The sense
Of gratitude for one’s
Privilege
Of having
This
Center of consciousness aware of these things
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology
That reconciliation
Of consciousness
With the mystery of being
And this
Is the first function
Of mythology